This story appears in the July 30, 2018, issue of Sports Illustrated. For more great storytelling and in-depth analysis, subscribe to the magazine — and get up to 94 percent off the cover price. Click here for more.
Jimmy Garoppolo is standing at the 40-yard line, play sheet in hand. It’s June, mid-minicamp in Santa Clara, Calif., and the quarterback with the perfect record, swarthy good looks and $137.5 million contract is serving after-practice detention.
The punishment is self-imposed; six false starts by the offense left him no choice.